Chocolate Chai and Almond Bar

I snagged this product at the Annapolis, Maryland store.  I think it was made in Maryland – a kind Trader Joe’s employee was helping me hunt around the store to find some local products to try and, though the packaging doesn’t SAY this is made in the area, he thought he had been told it was.  So in my cart it went! 

The ingredients list a spice blend of cinnamon, ginger, lemon peel, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom.  My take on it:  it is TOO BIG for what it is.  If it was 1/3 of the size it would be a better product.  It is TOO THICK – it is not a chocolate bar you could just sit down and munch on.  And trust me, we munch on some chocolate bars (big non-American ones – Lindt and the like), but this Chocolate Chai Almond Bar one just didn’t do it for me.  This puppy is bigger than a Ritter Sport bar!  It is more like a hunk of BAKING CHOCOLATE (David correctly my language here and said it is not a HUNK, but rather a SLAB). 

See, it LOOKS good, doesn't it??

The packaging says it is milk and dark chocolate – but sadly the dark chocolate functions more as a decoration than a taste.  The best part in my opinion are the almonds, which are big hunks (slabs?) of almonds – like half almonds, as opposed to other chocolates that put in slivers of nuts.  Overall – the bar is just TOO THICK.  The chai taste is also too strong, as is the cinnamon.  Everything is competing for my taste buds and nothing ends up winning with this product.  The outer packaging is cool – it is a funky looking recycled cardboard looking cover, but inside of that is just a simple plastic bag (with the slab o’ chocolate).  I think this is Trader Joe’s attempt at making a good, artisanal, fancy chocolate.  But sadly, the attempt does not succeed.  I would give this product a 2.5.

It's new, but it is not tasty

David:  “When I first bit into this it tasted a bit like a gingerbread boy cookie.  I agree with Susan’s review above  – all of the specifics she mentioned are precisely correct.  I would say that the chocolate tastes like really good quality chocolate, but the CONCEPT itself…  The chai-ness…  And it is a bit GRITTY in the chai-ness, which is not good.  The almonds are great, and like I said the chocolate itself seems to be good.  But I am not a fan.  I will give this a 2.0.”  (Editor’s note: this is a shockingly low score from David for a chocolate bar.  He loves most any chocolate, but apparently not this chocolate…)

Never have I seen David less excited about chocolate.  Never.

When you see this on the shelf, you think it is going to be something special.  It is new!  It looks like it should special!  You think, “Oh, this would be a nice stocking stuffer!” or, “This would be a sweet gift for Larry in Accounting!”.  But don’t.  Don’t gift it.  Or be like David, who says, “YES!  Give it to someone!  That way YOU don’t have to eat it!”.  It looks like something special, but it is not.  It is not worth the calories, let alone the price.  The serving size listed is a third of a bar, but you would have to be a big ass person to get through a 1/3 chunk of that slab!  Plus, you would have to not have a lot of taste buds…

Give presents, for goodness sake GIVE PRESENTS!  Just don't give
THIS CHOCOLATE CHAI AND ALMOND BAR as a present

We do not take many things back to TJ’s, really we don’t.  But we took THIS one back.  I think more than getting your 3 bucks back, it is worth returning it to “vote” and let Trader Joe’s know that this one is not a winner.  I am glad the guy showed it to me, and I guess I am glad I tasted it, if only to let you know not to buy it for anyone on your holiday list.  (And if you have already bought it and wrapped it, well, I hope you don’t really like whoever you are giving it to…)

Price:  $2.99

Rating:  2.25

Blueberry Poppyseed Cookies AND Annapolis, Maryland store

GUYS!  I went to a NEW (to me) TRADER JOE’S!  I got to check out the store on Jennifer Road in Annapolis, Maryland.  What a nice store!  It is very clean, really well lit, large, well stocked, and has friendly employees!  Oh, and the signage is cool, too!  Their new product section also had something neat:  a poster of photos of refrigerated new products!  Normally the refrigerated new stuff just gets thrown into whatever department it fits in, and so it is harder to know what is NEW.  I love that this location puts photos up of the new cold/frozen stuff so you know what to hunt for if you want something you haven’t had before.  Oh, and before I forget to mention it – the parking for the Jennifer Road TJ’s is plentiful and easy (and free).  Yes siree, this store is a winner.

Neat artwork in the Annapolis store

One thing that was a bit different about this particular TJ’s location is that they had a “satellite demo” station!  As I have mentioned in several reviews, Trader Joe’s tasting stations have frequently sealed the deal for David and I and convinced us to pick up a new product.  Well, this Annapolis store has a traditional TJ’s demo/tasting station on one side, and a portable one on the other side!  That means they have not one but TWO opportunities to WOW customers with their products and personalities!!  I think that is super clever and wise.  (I say that even though, today, the satellite station was serving something that in THEORY sounds like it could be a winner, but in reality fell flat – APPLE PIE CHEDDAR CHEESE…  Yes, cheddar cheese that tasted like apple pie…  I can appreciate a slice of warm apple pie topped with cheddar, so this could have been a winner, but, umm, no thanks…  The texture was bizarrely rubbery.  But I digress, this review is not about that cheese, I didn’t buy any I just sampled it.)  I am all for dual demo stations!  The more tastes (and smiles) the more sales!

Here is Heather - wowing customers at the satellite demo table!

One sad fact about the Annapolis store is that they do not have a WINE and BEER section.  Sigh.  It is not at all their fault, mind you!  The state regulations require that alcohol not be sold in grocery stores.  I feel bad for the TJ's shoppers!  They are missing out big time.

A rather strange thing about this store is that the outside accents are painted BLUE rather than the traditional Trader Joe’s signature RED.  I am assuming that is due to an over cranky landlord in the shopping complex, but it doesn’t really look very “Trader Joe’s” to me. 

I found another TRADER JOE'S to visit!!!

I met a super sweet employee, Travis, and he helped me try to find a uniquely Annapolis (or uniquely Maryland…) item to buy.  In the end, he DID find me a chocolate bar (which I purchased but haven’t tried yet).  Thanks, Travis. 

Travis is a most excellent Trader Joe's Ambassador!

Ok, Onto a REVIEW!  Let’s examine Trader Joe’s Blueberry Poppy Seed Cookies.  We purchased these in Virginia and brought them with us on our recent visit to Edmonton, Alberta.  We opened them as we sat in a theatre (shhh, no food or drinks allowed!) waiting for a play to start. 

The first thing that David said when he looked at these were that they looked like DOG TREATS.  I agree – they look like dog biscuits.  When I took my first bite I was afraid that they also tasted like dog biscuits…  But they don’t really!  They are quite bland – not very sweet.  It is kind of surprising that there are whole blueberries in them – they are flat on the outside so you do not see the blueberry bulges.  They do not taste very poppy seed-ish.  They could be a bit sweeter for my taste.  They would be better with tea or coffee instead of just on their own.  They do not break apart much when you bit into them, which is both handy and surprising.  I think these would be good if you were trying to eat kind of healthy – they taste healthier than Oreos.  I give these biscuits a 3.5. 

New product this summer - Blueberry Poppy Seed Cookies
(which ironically are from Canada... We bought them in America, hauled them to Canada,
then hauled the ones we hadn't finished  BACK to America in our suitcase...)

Here is what David thought of them:  "These are dry but not unpleasant.  The shortbread cookie part is tasty.  The addition of the blueberry makes it just sweet enough.  It is not a cookie with CHOCOLATE on it, it is a cookie for eating with tea or coffee, and in that it is very successful at what it is trying to do.  I like the size.  They are chew-able and delightful.  I like that these look like DOG BISCUITS!  How often do you get to eat a dog biscuit and it tastes good??  I give these a 4.5."

Hey Mikey, he likes 'em!

There you have it.  The Trader Joe’s on Jennifer Rd in Annapolis, Maryland get a 5.0 rating, and the Blueberry Poppy Seed Cookies end up with a 4.0.  

Price – $3.99

Rating – 4.0